The fragile two-week truce between Iran and the United States was hanging in the balance on Wednesday, with Tehran threatening to resume hostilities as Israel launched a major bombardment of Lebanon. Washington and Tehran both claimed victory after agreeing to a two-week ceasefire and negotiations »»»

Dubai: The Middle East’s oil and gas recovery is set to stretch over months — and in some cases years — even as a ceasefire opens a limited path to resume flows. Around 11 million barrels per day of oil production remain shut in across the region, with recovery dependent first on restoring shipping»»»

People attend the Blossom Kite Festival, an event held as part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on March 28. During the peak of the heat wave on March 18 and 22, NOAA says that 4,447 daily record high temperatures were set. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI »»»

Share: Photo- ‘Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief,’ said Turk © Kawnat HAJU / AFP The scale of the killing in Israeli strikes on Lebanon Wednesday is “horrific”, the UN rights chief said, urging the international community to help end the unfolding “night»»»

Eman does not remember the last time she manually booked a flight. Her personal AI assistant, linked to her credit cards and loyalty programmes, quietly scans fares, checks her calendar, considers her seat and airline preferences, and then books the optimal option while she sleeps. By the time she »»»

Speaking last Monday (6 April) during an opening ceremony of a department at Benghazi Medical Centre, the Director General of the Libyan Development and Reconstruction Fund, Belgasem Khalifa Hafter, said “Do not listen to the naysayers who claim that reconstruction has led to price hikes and a rise»»»

Share: Israel has bombed locations across Lebanon, including the capital Beirut, in devastating attacks that authorities say has killed at least 254 people and wounded more than 1,165. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier said that Lebanon would not be included in the ceasefire. Th»»»

Riyadh, Apr. 8 (SANA) Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed al-Saleh, began an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The visit aims to cement bilateral cooperation in emergency response, disaster management, and the exchange of technical expertise between the two»»»

BP has announced a new gas discovery in the Eastern Mediterranean, offshore Egypt, following the successful drilling of the El-Dennis West-1 exploration well in the El-Tamsah concession area. The El-Dennis West-1 discovery is located approximately 70 kilometres offshore in water depths of around 95»»»

Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem held an expanded meeting with Mohamed El-Sewedy, Chairperson of the Federation of Egyptian Industries, and members of the Handicrafts Chamber, headed by Mohamed Sakr, to discuss mechanisms to develop Egypt’s handicrafts and heritage industries and enhance their co»»»

Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, met with Chitose Noguchi, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Egypt, to explore opportunities for joint cooperation in energy, digital transformation, and data systems development in support of sustainab»»»

As Iranian officials link any halt in fighting with the US and Israel to all fronts of the so-called “axis of resistance,” with a focus on Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Gaza are negotiating a disarmament plan while pushing to retain part of their arsenal. Israel and »»»

At a meeting with the leadership of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria on Wednesday, Progressive Bulgaria coalition leader Rumen Radev said that the coalition’s programme is focused on the standard and quality of life of Bulgarian citizens – high and stable incomes and pensio»»»

To overcome the statehood crisis, parliamentary politics must follow the commitments made during election campaigns, Pavel Popov, top-of-the-list candidate of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) for Varna’s 3rd multi-member constituency, said during a meeting with citizens and support»»»

Washington, United States: During their historic lunar flyby, astronauts on NASA's Artemis II mission witnessed meteorites striking the rugged surface of the Moon, a sight that has piqued scientists' curiosity. "That was definitely impact flashes on the moon. And Jeremy (Hansen) just saw another on»»»

Democratic congressman John Larson has filed articles of impeachment against US President Donald Trump over his actions connected with the Iran war. Larson, a Connecticut Democrat, said on Tuesday he had filed 13 charges, accusing Trump of waging an “illegal war” and escalating threats against Iran»»»

1 of 3 | Attorney General Pam Bondi attends a dinner at the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 19. Now that she's no longer attorney general, Bondi won't give a deposition to the House Oversight Committee, the Justice Department said. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo April 8 (UPI)»»»

Dubai: Dubai Mall visitors were in for a surprise today as His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, toured the mall accompanied by a number of senior officials. Sheikh Mohammed was seen walking through the mall, observing t»»»

There is a growing trend toward offering fully personalized services that meet today’s travellers’ high expectations, Penelope Palace Apart Hotel management told BTA. This individual approach is becoming a key factor in ensuring consistent hotel occupancy rate throughout the year, they added. Inter»»»

Share: A high rise building in Tyre was bombed by Israel Wednesday , April 8, 2026 BBC Verify has been examining videos of reported strikes in southern Lebanon this morning, after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it is continuing to target Hezbollah despite ceasing attacks on Iran. One verified»»»

Argentina reached record oil production levels, with output climbing to 874,000 barrels per day, a 15.9% increase from a year earlier. File Photo by Juan Macri/EPA April 8 (UPI) -- Argentina reached record oil production levels, with output climbing to 874,000 barrels per day, a 15.9% increase from»»»

Cairo — Moody’s Ratings has affirmed Egypt’s sovereign credit rating at Caa1 for both foreign and local currency, maintaining a Positive Outlook, reflecting cautious confidence in the country’s ongoing economic reform program. The agency cited continued primary fiscal surpluses since FY2023/24 and »»»

Dubai: Iran has warned ships near the Strait of Hormuz that they must seek permission from its naval forces before transiting the critical waterway, underscoring Tehran’s continued grip over the strategic chokepoint despite a ceasefire agreement. “You must receive permission from Iranian Sepah navy»»»

DOHA: The 2025-2026 winter camping season has been described as 'largely successful', with high turnout of citizens and residents supported by well-organized camps and comprehensive services. Speaking to Qatar News Agency, Chair of the Winter Camping Committee at the Ministry of Environment and Cli»»»

Doha, Qatar: QNB Group, a leading financial institution in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, announced its results for the three months ended 31 March 2026. Net profit for the three months ended 31 March 2026 reached QAR4.33 billion (USD1.19 billion), an increase of 2% compared to same perio»»»

Israel carried out strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday, hours after the United States and Iran reached a Pakistani-mediated two-week cease-fire. Photo by Wael Hamzeh/EPA BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 8 (UPI) -- Israel carried out intensive, large-scale airstrikes on Wednesday, targeting several neighborhoods »»»

Doha, Qatar: The General Tax Authority has issued Law No. (2) of 2026 amending certain provisions of Law No. (25) of 2026 on excise tax, introducing new measures targeting sugary drinks and revising how taxes on sweetened beverages are calculated. The authority stated that the changes aim to curb t»»»

Dubai: A ceasefire in the region is prompting cautious optimism among UAE business leaders, who say the development could help stabilise markets, restore investor confidence and ease pressure on trade flows after a period of uncertainty. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app n»»»

Skopje, 7 April 2026 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the second session of the Strategic Dialogue between North Macedonia and the U.S., held Tuesday in Washington, will be a productive day and is expected to end with a joint statement. He expects an investment in a major antimony pro»»»

Boris Azarenko is an entrepreneur whose professional background lies in banking and finance and who later founded major property development businesses. Boris Azarenko biography: educational path and early career Born in Moscow on 21 April 1977, Boris Nikolayevich Azarenko studied Finance at the Fi»»»

Bulgaria's caretaker government has decided to endorse the Partnership Agreement between the EU and four Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), the government information service said. Relations between the EU and Mercosur countries have so far been governed by the 1995 Inter»»»

Ahmed Dogan, honorary Chair of the Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, visited Mineralni Bani and Asenovgrad, where he held meetings with party members and supporters, the Alliance’s press office announced on Wednesday. During his visits, he discussed with local party organizations the current politi»»»

Bangkok: Nearly 70 young Thai men sat on flimsy plastic chairs, faces tense as they waited to draw their fate from a jar -- an annual ritual deciding whether they will serve in the military. The conscription lottery, held across Thailand each April, has taken on added weight this year following sev»»»

The US, UK, and other Western powers with colonial pasts have repeatedly refused to consider reparations for the slave trade and other colonial crimes—yet have set precedents that could allow such claims to be enforced. The West "has been guided by a sense of moral superiority and legal exceptional»»»

Bulgaria is intensifying preparations for the early parliamentary elections on April 19, with authorities emphasizing fairness, technical readiness, and the prevention of electoral violations both domestically and abroad. “It is extremely important to see whether we have fulfilled our promise to co»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) announced the addition of more than 800 new firms to its business platform from January to March 2026, thus recording an annual growth of 57% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2025. The QFC said in a statement Wednesday th»»»

The caretaker government revoked the Council of Ministers’ January 21, 2026 decision approving three Bulgarian candidates for European prosecutor, the government press service said here Wednesday. The move withdrew the nominations of Dimitar Belichev, Mihaela Raidovska and Plamen Petkov and ordered»»»

TradeIranIs Iran cashing in millions from Strait of Hormuz blockade?Nik MartinAn Iranian lawmaker claims Tehran is quietly charging tankers up to $2 million for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The move threatens to turn the key waterway into a high-stakes toll booth. https://p.dw.com/p/5»»»

Sharjah: Construction has officially begun on a groundbreaking residential project in Sharjah designed around daily well-being rather than weekend escapes. Sanzen Developments’ Sukoon project will feature 859 villas and town houses across four thoughtfully designed phases, offering a lifestyle buil»»»

Spain summoned Israel's top representative to Madrid on Wednesday after the Israeli military briefly arrested a Spanish soldier from the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, foreign ministry sources said. Israel's charge d'affaires was summoned "to protest the unjustifiable detention of a Spanish UNIF»»»

BTA will publish the names of the top-of-the-list candidates of every party/coalition for all constituencies for the April 19 parliamentary elections. The information about the candidates is provided by the respective political entity, the candidates themselves and other official sources. Rosen Zhe»»»

New York: The UAE has expressed its deep disappointment at the UN Security Council’s failure to take decisive action to address the global repercussions caused by Iran’s illegal closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and failure to adopt a resolution put forward by Bahrain on behalf of the UAE, Kuwait, Q»»»

Giuseppe Carella, with more than 25 years of international business experience, assumes the position of Country Manager of Nestlé Romania on April 1, 2026. Over the course of his career, Giuseppe has built a strong track record in bringing Nestlé’s mission to life, driving innovations for local con»»»

Dubai: In the end, the deal was not decided in Washington — but in Tehran, where Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei quietly gave the green light, a decisive intervention that broke weeks of deadlock, according to Axios. The ceasefire that followed brought a sudden halt to weeks of escalating confronta»»»

Dubai: After weeks of intense behind-the-scenes diplomacy, Pakistan has emerged as a central player in brokering a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, a breakthrough that diplomats say would not have been possible without Islamabad’s sustained efforts since the conflict began. The»»»

The government has decided to withdraw all three Bulgarian nominations for the position of European Prosecutor, effectively restarting the procedure after identifying serious flaws in the initial selection process. The candidates affected are Dimitar Belichev, Mihaela Raidovska and Plamen Petkov, w»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) said it successfully managed more than 80 million cubic metres of rainwater within a week following the heavy rainfall that recently affected the emirate. The department said the volume of water handled was equivalent to around 32,000 »»»

Boris Azarenko is an entrepreneur whose professional background lies in banking and finance and who later founded major property development businesses. Boris Azarenko biography: educational path and early career Born in Moscow on 21 April 1977, Boris Nikolayevich Azarenko studied Finance at the Fi»»»

Varna could become an industrial centre, GERB-UDF's top-of-the-list candidate Vladislav Goranov said during a public meeting, quoted by the coalition’s press office on Wednesday. He argued that the city has significant potential thanks to its six universities and the infrastructure already develope»»»

President Iliana Yotova convened a meeting of institutions responsible for the conduct of the early parliamentary elections on April 19, with a focus on assessing preparedness and ensuring that every vote is properly safeguarded. She stressed that it is essential to evaluate whether the country has»»»